Mansour Abbas Urges Israel and U.S. to Recognize Palestinian State

Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas called on Israel and the United States to recognize what he described as an existing Palestinian state during the party’s 28th national convention in Taibe. Abbas also urged renewed cooperation among Israel’s four Arab parties, including coordinated electoral roles, a surplus-vote agreement and an honor pact before and after the election. The convention brought together about 1,050 members to select Ra’am’s candidates for the coming Knesset election. A 2019 Israeli Foreign Ministry legal brief argues that international recognition does not itself establish Palestinian sovereignty and that the issue must be resolved through negotiated mutual recognition.